Hyundai and Kiwis prevail at Pikes Peak

The Kiwis have claimed bragging rights at the iconic Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado, with US-based racer Rhys Millen setting a new record on the dangerous course driving a race-prepared Hyundai Genesis Coupe.

New Zealand born Millen, the son of renowned rally driver, off-road racer and former Pikes Peak champion Rod Millen, set a blazing pace to the summit, nailing the spectacular ascent in a record setting time of 9:46.164.

Described as one of the best finishes in the race’s 90-year history, Millen’s time narrowly edged out Frenchman and former Le Mans winner Romain Dumas, driving a Porsche 911 GT3 R, by a mere two hundredths of a second.

Testing man and machine, the race is run over a 20-kilometre course consisting of 156 turns - concluding at 14,110 feet above sea level. The thin air at the summit robs vehicles of almost 30 per cent of engine power.

That failed to stop Millen, however, whose extensive experience in the US drifting scene came to the fore on the newly-sealed course at the wheel of his 520kW turbocharged V6-powered Hyundai.

“Breaking the ten minute barrier is something I've always wanted to do, and it feels great to accomplish this goal in 2012,” Millen said.

Reports in the Colorado Springs Gazette suggest the race was not without drama, with several of the fastest qualifiers failing to cross the finish line, thanks to a war of attrition caused by weather conditions, driver error and mechanical failures.

Rain, snow and hail coated the top of the summit, while crashes and delays forced the event into the evening, with some competitors having to run a shortened course.

Defending champion and six-time Pikes Peak champion Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima, saw his race come to an end following an electrical fire in his much-touted battery-powered Monster Sport E-RUNNER electric vehicle.

The Electric Auto Division was won by Japanese rally star Fumio Nutahara, driving a Toyota Motorsport Gmbh vehicle, with another Japanese driver, Hiroshi Masuoka, finishing second in a Mitsubishi i-MiEV Evolution.

For Millen, whose father, Rod Millen, held the mountain’s speed record from 1994 through 1997, it was an emotional triumph.

“This is just unbelievable,” Millen said. “We just competed against the best in the world and beat them.”

Aussie Jeff Denmeade driving the Toowoomba-built 2.0-litre supercharged Skelta G-Force sports car drove to a class podium, finishing third in the Open class and 23rd outright in a time of 11:19.72s

Lexus finished second in class at its first attempt at the Pikes Peak hill climb, with its IS F CCSR, piloted by US racer Ken Gushi.

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